MINISTER’S CLAIM: Mr Tej Parkash Singh Kotli, Transport Minister, has claimed that under the leadership of Capt Amarinder Singh, the Government of Punjab would come up to the expectations of people despite heavy debts on the state. He was addressing party workers at his native Kotli village on Saturday. The minister said the government was committed to rehabilitating agriculture industry and trade.

AMRITSARSUICIDE: Twenty-year-old youth Kartik along with a girl tried to commit suicide on Monday evening. In the bid, he was killed by the Shatabdi Express while the 18-year-old girl lost her left arm as some persons nearby saved her. The girl, who is still unconscious, has been admitted to a private hospital.

BATHINDACRITICISED: Mr Gurnam Singh, general secretary of the GNDTP Employees Association, in a press note here on Tuesday alleged that the authorities were not filling the vacancies in various thermal plants of the state. He said the demands which were earlier accepted by the authorities were not being implemented.

SALARY DONATED: Mr Surinder Singla, MLA, donated his first salary to the public library at a function here on Sunday. Addressing the gathering, he promised to work for the development of the city. Mr Bachan Dass, president of the library, also donated Rs 11,000. This was stated by Mr J.S. Ghai, general secretary of the library, in a press note here on Tuesday.

RELEASE FUNDS: Mr Labh Singh, convener, DIET Staff Association, Punjab, has urged the state government to release funds to ensure the timely payment of salary to teaching and non-teaching staff of the DIETs. In a press note here on Tuesday, Mr Labh Singh, alleged that while the Union Government had released 90 per cent grant for these institutes well in time, the state government had failed to release its share.

BAN SOUGHT: Mr
M.R. Madaan, press secretary, Consumer Welfare Council, has demanded a ban on the screening of adult films in the city. He alleged that cinema house owners were selling tickets of these films to minors and that some cinema
house were screening such films throughout the year.

KAPURTHALADONATED: Mr Baldev Singh Bajwa, NRI of Phulewal village, near here, donated a computer to Primary School of the village at a function held at the school on Monday. Mr Harbhajan Singh of the same village donated Rs 15,000 for the installation of a telephone and Internet. This was stated by Mr Satnam Singh, in charge of the school.

KHARARHONOURED: President of Preet Kanwal Singh, secretary Harpreet Singh and cashier Subhash Aggarwal of the Lions Club, Kharar, has won best prizes in Region-4 of the club for their outstanding contribution. The Lions Club, Kharar, also got prizes in the field of eye operation camp, blood donation camp, family welfare camp etc. The club won the running trophy.

DONATED: Dr Wazir Singh, former Deputy Director of Animal Husbandry Department, Punjab, and a resident of Mundi Kharar village has donated a constructed room to Shaheed Major H.P. Singh Middle School in the village in the memory of his wife Ajmer
Kaur.

LUDHIANANOMINATED: Mr Inderjit Singh (Monu) has been nominated general secretary of the Punjab Youth Congress. The appointment has been made on the directions of Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, President,
IYC.

ASSOCIATION: Residents of Urban Estate Phase II have formed an association known as South end Park Residents Welfare Association. The president of the body, Lieut Col (Retd) J.P. Singh, has said the association will work for the development and maintenance of park F, located in the colony and for the welfare of the residents. Mr Manjit Singh Mehram and Mr B.R. Luthra will be the general secretary and finance secretary of the association, respectively.

DENTAL
CAMP: The Dentistry Department of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital will organise a free dental check-up camp on the hospital premises on March 15. Dr J. Bindra, Head of the Dentistry Department, in a press statement said the majority of people were not aware of dental problems. Patients with dental ailments would be given free consultation and new dentures fixed for Rs 2000 at the camp, she said.

SEMINAR: The Ludhiana Management Association (LMA) would hold a seminar on Wednesday on the implications of the budget, said Mr V.K. Goyal, general secretary, LMA, in a press note issued here on Tuesday. He said Dr Chander Mohan, Consulting Editor, The Financial Express and Mr D.K. Joshi, Deputy Chief (Economics), Central Electricity Commission, New Delhi, would be the key speakers at the seminar.

FAREWELL FUNCTION: A farewell function will be held at the Sutlej Club on March 14 for its outgoing president, Mr S.K. Sandhu. Mr A.S. Chawla, general secretary of the club, said the credit of achievements of the club went to Mr Sandhu. The members would also welcome its new president, Mr Anurag Aggarwal, he said. Mr Chawla said there were plans for the development of the kitchen and for building a discotheque.

RIOTS CONDEMNED: The Atam Raksha Sangh at a meeting chaired by Col H.S. Kahlon condemned the loss of lives and property in Gujarat in recent riots. In a press note issued here, he condemned the “inept handling” of the situation by the Gujarat Government. The services rendered by the Army to contain the riots and the supply of truckloads of articles of daily necessities to riots-affected families were appreciated by the sangh members.

MANDI GOBINDGARHSTEEL INDUSTRY: The local steel rerolling industry has been undergoing recession for the past two years as 19 industrial units have got their power connection permanently disconnected between July 14, 2002 and January 16, 2002 as intimated by the local PSEB office. This was stated by Mr V.P. Verma, Executive Officer, Mandi Gobindgarh Steel Chamber of Commerce and Industry, here on Monday.

CELEBRATED: Shivratri was celebrated here with fervour. Devotees started thronging temples from early in the morning. Mr Harbans Lal, Minister of State for Forests and Food and Supply, unfurled the flag of Shiv Baba at Prajapita Brahma Kumaris Ishwara Visha Vidalaya here and appealed to the gathering to maintain peace among different communities. Shivratri was celebrated at Amloh and Rajewal villages also. The Bhole Nath Yuva Sangathan organised a “jagran” at Amloh.

MANSAONE ARRESTED: A naka party of Sadar Mansa police station intercepted a truck carrying 280 kg of poppy husk from Rajasthan near Gagowal village in the district. The police arrested the truck driver, Kheta Singh of Lohgarh village, and booked him under the NDPS Act. His accomplices Gurmail Singh, Pargat Singh and Kirpal Singh, however, escaped.

NAWANSHAHRSENTENCED: Mr Gobinder Singh Matharu, Additional District and Sessions Judge, has sentenced Jasbir Singh of Shahkot village (Jalandhar), Dharminder Kumar of Khurla Kingra village (Jalandhar), Sokhi and Malkiat Ram, alias Daula, both residents of Langroya village in Nawanshahr district, to rigorous imprisonment for 15 years and a fine of Rs 1 lakh each under Section 15 of the NDPS Act, 1985. A case was registered against them for possessing 1,200 kg of poppy husk.

MEDICAL CAMP: A free drug de-addiction and medical camp was inaugurated by Mr Pritam Singh, SDM, at Beerowal village, near here, on Monday. The camp which will continue up to March 16 is being organised by Dr Kotnis, Accupuncture Hospital, Slem Tabri, Ludhiana, in collaboration with Haribhagat Dwar, Beerowal, and Mr Joginder Singh Saroya, NRI.

ELECTROCUTED: Ramu (19) of a local colony, near Lakh Data Pir, was electrocuted on Monday when he accidentally touched a high-voltage wire passing over the roof of his house while connecting telephone wires. A nearby house also caught fire due to short-circuit.

KAVI DARBAR: The Lok Manch, Banga, organised a "mahila kavi darbar' at the Guru Nanak Mission Medical and Educational Trust, Dhahan Kaleran, about 20 km from here, on Sunday. Ms Karna Singh, member of the Natak and Sahitya Academy, Chandigarh, presided over it.

PATIALAEYE CHECK-UP CAMP: The Patiala Social Welfare Society in collaboration with the State Bank of Patiala, Red Cross Society and Birji Foundation and District Blindness Control Society celebrated International
Women's’ Day by holding free eye check up and IOL Operation Camp at Rajindra Hospital here on Monday. About 382 patients were examined and 42 were selected for operation at the camp which was inaugurated by Ms Sushma Purwar, wife of the Managing Director of the State Bank of Patiala. All members of the PSW society decided to donate their eyes. Mr Vijay Kumar Goyal, President of the society, and Dr Ravinder Singh, Principal, Medical College, were among those who spoke on the occasion.

OFFICE-BEARERS ELECTED: Following have been elected as office -bearers of the Punjab State Electricity Board Officers (General Services) Association: president — Mr S.P. Singla; vice-president — Mr Narang Singh; and general secretary — Mr J.P. Sharma.

BRANCH OPENED: The Bank of Punjab opened its 87th Banking Office here on Tuesday in Dharampura Bazaar. This is their third branch in the city. The bank claims to have latest international banking facilities and state of the art
information's systems. The branch will provide extended banking facilities from 10 am to 5 pm to the general
public.

PUNJAB NURSES ASSOCIATION: A delegation of the Punjab Nurses Association led by state president Jeewan Preet Kaur met Chief Minister Capt Amrinder Singh and urged him to fulfill the long-standing demands of the nurses in the state.

MEDICAL CAMP: About 678 patients were examined at a check-up camp organised here today by the Brothers Group. The patients were examined by specialist doctors and medicines free of cost were also distributed. Founder and president of the group Rakesh Vermi stated that this was the 154th camp conducted by the group so
far.

CONGREGATION: Theatre personality Pran Sabharwal in a press note informed that at a congregation was arranged by the National Theatre Arts Society (NTAS) to honour Dr Sawraj Singh, NRI surgeon litterateur. Dr Singh urged the new state government to form an effective cultural policy to strengthen Punjabi theatre movement.

ELECTED: Dr Raman K. Aggarwal and Dr Yash Sharma were elected Vice-Presidents of the Indian Medical Association, Punjab, for 2002-2003. Dr Kuldeep Singh was elected President of the association for 2003-2004.

SAHNEWALAKHAND PATH: The bhog of “Akhand Path” was held at the Tempo Union, Sahnewal, on Tuesday. Mr Maghar Singh, president of the union, said the path was organised every year so that accidents might decrease with God’s grace.

SAMRALANO PAY: Watchmen of the Samrala tehsil have not been paid their salaries for the past one month according to their president Mr Gian Singh. A meeting of the watchmen was held in the tehsil complex under the presidentship of Mr Gian Singh and a press statement they demanded Rs 600 per month from the Chief Minister, Punjab instead of Rs 400 according to their election manifesto.

WORKSHOP: K.S. Consultancy Service will organise a workshop on ‘Waste minimisation for hotel and restaurant sector’ here on Thursday. The objective of the seminar is to explain the concept of waste minimisation to hoteliers and restaurants owners.

PANCHKULAFUNCTION: A society can progress only when illiteracy has been removed completely. These views were expressed by Chaudhary Risaal Singh, Social Welfare Minister, Haryana, while addressing the annual day function of Baba Model School here on Tuesday. He said the primary function of education was to inculcate the values of morality, good conduct, discipline and love for nation. The Minister also gave away a grant of Rs 21, 000 to the school on the occasion. He also assured that the lane near the school will be built soon.

HARYANA

AMBALA‘FIGHT AGAINST NATIONAL PROBLEMS’: Former organising secretary of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee Om Prakash Malik said on Tuesday that the people must fight against national problems and not amongst themselves. Mr Malik said the national problems like poverty, illiteracy and powers which try to weaken the country must be tackled on a priority basis. The people must not fight on the basis of religion and religious leaders must ensure that plans for killing innocent should be foiled, he
added.

NATURE CURE CAMP: The Rotary Club of Industrial Area, Ambala, is going to hold a free nature cure camp. Club president Sham Manchanda said the camp was going to he held in collaboration with the SD Yoga and Nature Cure Hospital for senior citizens. Dr Ved Prakash of the SD Nature Cure will conduct the camp and project chairman is
S.K. Aggarwal. The camp will be for 15 days starting from March 20.

PROBLEM
HIGHLIGHTED: Mr Bimal Prakash municipal councillor, Ambala Sadar, said on Tuesday that the municipal council employees seem to be failing to tackle major problems in their area. Mr Bimal Prakash said bad roads, traffic jams encroachments, stray animals, lack of cleanliness was not being effectively solved by the council authorities. Mr Prakash suggested that the visits of the Deputy Commissioner is not a permanent solution and action must be taken against negligent officials. He said that the Deputy Commissioner must sometimes attend council meetings so that he can be apprised of the problems being faced by the municipal councillors.

FATEHABADOFFICER NABBED: The vigilance team from Hisar nabbed an officer of Land Mortgage Bank here on Monday while accepting a bribe of Rs 1,500 from a farmer for sanctioning his loan.

SIRSAHEALTH CAMP: As many as 915 patients were examined at a free health camp organised by the Hanumant Foundation, an NGO, at Nehru Park. According to information received here on Tuesday, 475 patients were examined for eye
problems. The next camp will be organised on April 14.

COPYING CASES: Nearly 100 cases of copying were detected in a day by the flying squad of the Haryana Education Board here. The flying squad from Bhiwani raided schools on Monday to check copying. The students who were copying or possessed written material were caught.

YAMUNANAGARBODIES FOUND: The body of two lovers who allegedly committed suicide was found in the fields near the
Saharanpur-Kurukshetra highway on Monday. The deceased have been identified as Anil Sharma and Suman, residents of Sonepat. The bodies were handed over to their parents after a post-mortem examination at the Civil Hospital, Yamunanagar.

HIMACHAL PRADESH

PAONTA SAHIBTWO KILLED: Two persons were killed and 11 were injured when a jeep and truck collided on Monday night at Taruwala village, 2 km from here. According to police sources, Kuldeep Singh and Kamlesh Devi died on the spot. The injured have been admitted to the Civil Hospital, Paonta Sahib. The SDM, Mr Sanjay Sharma, has given Rs 5,000 each as relief to the families of the deceased and Rs 500 per family to those injured.